March 14, 2026
Distinguishing Psychic Experience from Occult or Abnormal Experience
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pg. 7
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/12/distinguishing-psychic-experience-from-occult-or-abnormal-experience/
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More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #psychic being #soul #occultism #psychic phenomena
1
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:05,680
How does 1 distinguish between
psychic experience as defined by
2
00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:10,920
Sri Aurobindo as soul
experiences from the vast array
3
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,080
of experiences that occur on the
mental or vital planes that have
4
00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:20,520
been called psychic phenomena?
Once one has the clue about the
5
00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,440
different parts of the being and
their characteristic modes of
6
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,720
action, it is actually not too
difficult to know what the
7
00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:32,320
experience is, where it
originates from and what energy
8
00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,520
it carries.
Most occult experiences actually
9
00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,440
take place on the vital plane.
Things like out of body
10
00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,920
experiences, astral travel,
prophetic, symbolic or vital
11
00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:49,680
desire filled dreams and
interaction with ghosts, psychic
12
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,960
readings, faith healing, vision
quests, etcetera are generally
13
00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,520
located there.
Some experiences such as forms
14
00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:03,600
of intuition, inspiration,
clairvoyance, clairaudience,
15
00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:08,680
remote viewing, exploration of
the Akashic records may occur on
16
00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,760
the mental plane, although there
may also be some vital element
17
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,320
to it.
There can also be an experience
18
00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:20,760
of a mental witness which
remains within the mental view,
19
00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:24,640
while the spiritual experience
of the witness consciousness
20
00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:29,440
removes itself from attachment
to the external ego personality
21
00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,720
and is able to view people,
events and circumstances from a
22
00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,800
totally different abstracted
standpoint.
23
00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:44,360
Psychic experiences, those that
involve the soul, will tend to
24
00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:49,520
involve movements of aspiration,
consecration, devotion,
25
00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:54,320
spiritual dedication, as well as
connection to a higher
26
00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,680
consciousness that provides new
insights and a wider vision.
27
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,040
Psychic experiences may also
have an element of ananda, the
28
00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,360
transcendent bliss experience,
as opposed to sensational
29
00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,600
experiences of pleasure, which
tend to operate on the physical
30
00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:18,080
or vital aspects of the being.
Sri Aurobindo notes quote
31
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,600
Ordinarily all the more inward
and all the abnormal
32
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,880
psychological experiences are
called psychic.
33
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:31,120
I use the word psychic for the
soul as distinguished from the
34
00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,920
mind and vital.
All movements and experiences of
35
00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,600
the soul would in that sense be
called psychic.
36
00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,280
Those which rise from or
directly touch the psychic
37
00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,880
being, Where mind and vital
predominate, the experience
38
00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:49,400
would be called psychological
surface or a cult.
39
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:55,280
End Quote Reference Shriya
Robindo and the Mother The
40
00:02:55,280 --> 00:03:01,360
psychic being soul, its nature,
Mission and evolution Section 1.
41
00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,000
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, Page 7.
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:05,680
How does 1 distinguish between
psychic experience as defined by
2
00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:10,920
Sri Aurobindo as soul
experiences from the vast array
3
00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,080
of experiences that occur on the
mental or vital planes that have
4
00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:20,520
been called psychic phenomena?
Once one has the clue about the
5
00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,440
different parts of the being and
their characteristic modes of
6
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,720
action, it is actually not too
difficult to know what the
7
00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:32,320
experience is, where it
originates from and what energy
8
00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,520
it carries.
Most occult experiences actually
9
00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,440
take place on the vital plane.
Things like out of body
10
00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,920
experiences, astral travel,
prophetic, symbolic or vital
11
00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:49,680
desire filled dreams and
interaction with ghosts, psychic
12
00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,960
readings, faith healing, vision
quests, etcetera are generally
13
00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,520
located there.
Some experiences such as forms
14
00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:03,600
of intuition, inspiration,
clairvoyance, clairaudience,
15
00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:08,680
remote viewing, exploration of
the Akashic records may occur on
16
00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,760
the mental plane, although there
may also be some vital element
17
00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,320
to it.
There can also be an experience
18
00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:20,760
of a mental witness which
remains within the mental view,
19
00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:24,640
while the spiritual experience
of the witness consciousness
20
00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:29,440
removes itself from attachment
to the external ego personality
21
00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,720
and is able to view people,
events and circumstances from a
22
00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,800
totally different abstracted
standpoint.
23
00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:44,360
Psychic experiences, those that
involve the soul, will tend to
24
00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:49,520
involve movements of aspiration,
consecration, devotion,
25
00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:54,320
spiritual dedication, as well as
connection to a higher
26
00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,680
consciousness that provides new
insights and a wider vision.
27
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,040
Psychic experiences may also
have an element of ananda, the
28
00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,360
transcendent bliss experience,
as opposed to sensational
29
00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,600
experiences of pleasure, which
tend to operate on the physical
30
00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:18,080
or vital aspects of the being.
Sri Aurobindo notes quote
31
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,600
Ordinarily all the more inward
and all the abnormal
32
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,880
psychological experiences are
called psychic.
33
00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:31,120
I use the word psychic for the
soul as distinguished from the
34
00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:34,920
mind and vital.
All movements and experiences of
35
00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,600
the soul would in that sense be
called psychic.
36
00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,280
Those which rise from or
directly touch the psychic
37
00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,880
being, Where mind and vital
predominate, the experience
38
00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:49,400
would be called psychological
surface or a cult.
39
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:55,280
End Quote Reference Shriya
Robindo and the Mother The
40
00:02:55,280 --> 00:03:01,360
psychic being soul, its nature,
Mission and evolution Section 1.
41
00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,000
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, Page 7.
